Heel seat lasting machine and method of converting same from a toe lasting machine



3,115,650 OD 0F CONVERTING" SAME FROM A TOE LASTING MACHINE Original Filed March 14, 1961 Dec. 31, 1963 J. 5. KAMBORIAN HEEL SEAT LASTING MACHINE AND METl-I 4 sheets-s eet 1 hw /Zia? fazed ilamarzdia 1963 J. 5. KAMBORIAN 7 3,115,650

HEEL SEAT LASTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF CONVERTING SAME FROM A TOE LASTING MACHINE Original Filed March 14, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 fizyerazar 7020i ilafizarz'avz 31, 1963 J. s. KAMBORIAN 3,115,650

HEEL SEAT LASTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF CONVERTING SAME FROM A TOE LASTING MACHINE Original Filed March 14, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 if 3/44 77 If! J A fave/Zia) Jag'afi .71 lalzl drz'aiz Dec. 31, 1963 J. 5. KAMBORIAN 3,115,650 Y HEEL SEAT LASTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF CONVERTING SAME FROM A TOE LASTING MACHINE Original Filed March 14, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. Jwa J. lav/1.40am

BY W

United States Patent IEEL SEAT LASTlNG MACHINE AND METHOD OF CONVERTING SAME FROM A TOE LASTING MACHINE Jacob S. Karnborian, 133 Forest Ave, West Newton, Mass. Continuation of application Ser. No. 95,733, Mar. 14, 1961. This application Aug. 22, 1962, Ser. No. 220,120 18 Claims. (Cl. 12142) This application is a continuation of copending application Serial No. 95,733, filed March 14, 1961, now abandoned.

This invention relates to a heel seat lasting machine and a method of making it by converting it from a toe lasting machine. In Patent No. 3,060,468, there is disclosed a toe lasting machine that comprises a vertically movable shoe support, horizontally movable wipers, and a toe conformer yoke positioned below the wipers. An object of this invention is to provide a method for readily converting the toe lasting machine to a heel seat lasting machine by removing a small number of parts from the toe lasting machine, replacing these parts with heel seat lasting parts, and utilizing many of the structural parts of the toe lasting machine for the heel seat lasting operation after the conversion. This method is carried out by replacing the toe conformer yoke and a pair of support arms used in supporting the yoke in the machine with a heel clamping pad, and by replacing the toe rest that supports the toe of the shoe in the toe lasting machine with a device for supporting a last so that the heel of the last faces the pad and for forcing the last against the pad.

A further object of the invention is to provide a heel seat lasting machine that is simple to manufacture, has a small number of parts, and yet operates well in wiping the lasting margin of an upper at the heel of a shoe down against a shoe insole. The improved heel seat lasting machine comprises a substantially U-shaped clamping pad. Spring means are provided to urge both the bight and the legs of the pad inwardly of the pad. A last support is mounted below the pad and includes a block swivelly mounted on a vertically movable rod. A last supporting carriage is slidably mounted on the block for horizontal movement. An air operated motor is connected to the carriage to move it against the pad to clamp a shoe upper between the pad and a last mounted on the carriage. Horizontally movable wiping means are provided above the clamping pad for wiping the lasting margin of the upper down against an insole secured to the last bottom while the upper is clamped. Spring means are provided to move the carriage away from the pad after the air operated motor is vented.

Other objects will become apparent upon reading the detailed description and claims set forth below.

Reference is now made to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical view partly in section of the toe lasting machine disclosed in the aforesaid Patent No. 3,060,468;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the front of the toe lasting machine with the cover removed;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the conformer and conformer mounting means of the toe lasting machine;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the conformer shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the machine as converted to a heel seat laster;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation partly in section of the converted machine;

FIG. 7 is a section taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the relationship of the wipers, heel clamp, and last-mounted shoe when the shoe is first positioned in the machine;

3,115,850 Patented Dec. 31, 1963 FIG. 9 is an elevation partly in section taken along the line 99 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the relationship of the wipers, heel clamp, and last-mounted shoe after the shoe has been pressed against the heel clamp;

FIG. 11 is an elevation partly in section taken along the line 11 1l1 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a plan view showing the relationship of the wipers, heel clamp, and last-mounted shoe at the completion of the heel seat lasting operation; and

FIG. 13 is an elevation partly in section taken along the line 1313 of FIG. 12.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the toe lasting machine of the aforesaid patent has wipers lit, a wiper carrying slide 12 arranged on a frame 14 to move in a horizontal path forwardly and rearwardly over a wiper support 13, and a shoe support 15 comprising a toe rest 16, and a heel pin 18 mounted on a table 20, for movement vertically to raise a shoe into a position to be operated on by the wipers. The shoe support may be made substantially in accordance with the support disclosed in Patent No. 2,668,967 and may be connected to the frame 14 in a similar manner. A vertical guide frame 22 is provided that is rigidly connected to the frame 14 in which a carriage 24- is guided for vertical movement. A bracket 26 is rigidly connected to the carriage 24. The aforesaid table 20 is arranged above the bracket 26 and is slidably guided for vertical movement in the carriage 24. The heel pin 18 is mounted on the table 28 to partake of its vertical movement. A post 28 is rotatably mounted in the bracket 26 and is threaded into the table 28 so that by rotation of the post 28 the table 28* may be lowered toward or raised away from the bracket 2s and thereby lower or raise the heel pin 18.

The toe rest 16 is mounted at the upper end of the piston rod 3t]? of an air operated motor 32. The piston rod 38 has a pair of collars 34 rigidly secured thereto and the carriage 24 has a sleeve 36 interposed between the collars. Thus, vertical movement of the piston rod 39 causes a corresponding raising or lowering of the shoe support 15.

The wiper carrying slide 12 is connected by links 38 to wiper carrying cams 4a in such a manner as to impart a forward and inward movement to the wipers about the toe of the shoe in response to forward linear movement of slide 12 in the manner described in the aforesaid Patent No. 2,668,967. The slide 12 is connected through linkage 41 to the piston rod 42 of an air operated motor 44 in such a manner that movement of the piston rod imparts a corresponding horizontal movement of the slide 12. A control mechanism similar to that disclosed in Patent No. 2,888,693 is provided to actuate motors 32 and 44 to thereby respectively control the vertical movement of the shoe support 15 and the horizontal movement of the wipers 10. The control mechanism includes a con trol handle 46, which, when rotated about its horizontal axis, controls the motor 32 to raise or lower the shoe support, and when swung in a horizontal plane controls the motor 44 to move the wipers forwardly or rearwardly. Reference is made to the aforesaid Patent No. 2,888,693 for a more detailed description of this control mechanism.

The toe lasting machine includes a shoe conformer 48 positioned below the wipers for snugly conforming the upper to the shape of the last during relative heightwise movement between the last and the conformer prior to the toe lasting operation (see FIGS. 3 and 4). The conformer 48 comprises a yoke 50 made of a suitable flexible, deformable material such as Teflon. The yoke is generally U-shaped and has a bight 52 positioned in the forward end of the frame 14 and a pair of legs 54 which extend forwardly of the bight.

A head 56 is slidably mounted in a guideway 58 formed a in the wiper support 13. The head has a socket on in its forward end adapted to receive the bight 52 of the yoke 50. A bracket 62, positioned rearwardly of the head 56, is secured to the wiper support 13 by fasteners 64 and has a portion extending downwardly into the guideway 53. A stud 66 is threaded into the bracket 62. The stud extends rearwardly andterminates short of the frame 14 (see FIG. 1). An opening 68 is provided in the frame in alignment with the stud and the end of the stud has a kerf adapted to receive a screwdriver bit. A socket 70 is provided in the head 56 and a compression spring 72 extends from the socket 713 to a reduced portion 74 on the stud 66. The spring 72 serves to yieldably urge the head 56 forwardly along the guideway 58. A screw '76 threaded into the frame 14- is in abutting relation to the head 56 and thereby limits the extent the head may be moved along the guideway under the resilient force of the spring 72.

Supports 78 are rigidly secured to the opposite sides of the frame 14 at the forward end thereof and extend forwardly of the frame. An internally threaded sleeve 80 is pivotally connected to each support 78 for swinging movement about the vertical axes of pivots 82. A threaded shaft or screw 84 is threaded into each sleeve 31) and a knob 86 is rigi ly connected to each screw 34. Each screw is hollow and slidably receives a rod 88 extending longitudinally therethrough. Adjusting nuts 90 are threaded to the outer ends of the rods 88 and bear against bearings 92 rotatably mounted on the rods 88. The bearings 92 in turn bear against the knobs 86. The inner end of each rod 88 is formed into a head 94 that extends between the jaws of a clevis 96. Each clevis 96 forms an end of a support arm 98. The heads 94 are pivotally connected to the clevises 96 by pins 168 so as to permit relative swinging movement between the rods 88 and the support arms 98 about the vertical axes of the pins 1%. A compression spring 1% is mounted on each rod 8-8 and extends from each screw 84 to each head 94. The ends of the support arms 98 remote from the clevises 96 are pivotally connected to the head 56 by pins 104 so as to permit relative swinging movement between the support arms 98 and the head 56 about the vertical axes of the pins 104. The pins 104 are received in lugs 106 in the head 56, the lugs extending on opposite sides of the socket 60 in the head.

The bight of the yoke 50 is positioned in the socket 60, and each leg 54 of the yoke is connected to a support arm 98 by a flange 198 that is connected to the support arms and is received in a slot 110 in the yoke leg. A hold-down finger 112 is pivoted in each support arm 98 in such a position that it may be swung over the associated slot 110.

A leaf spring 114 extends from the bight of the yoke along the outer wall of each yoke leg 54 for a distance extending part way along the length of each yoke leg. A jacket 116 is mounted on the bight 52 of the yoke and envelop both springs 114. The bight of the yoke, the springs 114 and the jacket 116 are secured to each other by a pin (not shown) extending therethrough. The leaf springs 114 are thus mounted to apply resilient pressure inwardly of the yoke.

In the operation of the conformer, the screw 76 is adjusted to set the forwardmost position of the head 56, and the stud 66 is rotated in the bracket 62 to obtain the desired tension in the spring 72. The knobs as are rotated to thereby bring the screws 34 the desired distance from each other. Since the nuts 90 act as limit stops due to the springs 102 causing the nuts 90 to abut the bearings 92, the heads M will always be maintained a constant distance from the inner ends 118 of the screws 54 regardless of the setting of the screws 84, and the axial movement of the screws 84 will move the clevises 96 of the support arms 98 toward or away from each other a corresponding amount. The rotation of the knobs 86 will therefore alter the profile of the inner walls 120 of the yoke 59 and alter the distance between the walls 120. This alteration will provide for a greater or lesser pressure of the yoke legs against the shoe upper, the desired amount of such pressure being dependent on the physical characteristics of the material out of which the upper is fashioned and the shape of the last. The alteration in profile of the walls 12% will also change the .ength of said walls 121 bearing against the upper. The extent of this length desired is dependent on the amount of lasting margin to be folded over the insole by the wipers. By rotating the nuts 91), the distance between the clevises 96 and the screw ends 118 may be changed and the tension of the springs 1112 may be adjusted.

As described in the aforesaid Patent No. 3,060,468, a shoe, comprising an upper and insole mounted on a last is placed on the shoe support so that the upper is positioned above the conformer with the toe end of the shoe facing the bight 52. At this time, the edges of the shoe will overlap the inwardly facing wall 120 of the yoke. The last is then forced downwardly until the top of the insole is substantially in the same plane as the bottom of the wipers 1t). Initially, during the downward movement of the shoe, the wall 129 of the deformable yoke 51) will be compressed. When the wall can no longer be compressed, the bight 52 of the yoke will flex rearwardly against the pressure exerted by the spring 70, and the legs 54 of the yoke will flex outwardly against the pressures exerted by the springs 114. Should the shoe be substantially wider than the space between the legs 54, the support arms 98 will swing outwardly about pivot pins 104 and compress the springs 102 between the heads 94 and the screw ends 118. During the latter movement, there will be relative swinging movement between the heads 94 and the clevises 9d about the pins and relative swinging movement between the screws 84 and the supports 78 about the pivots 82. The yieldable pressure exerted by the springs 72, 114- and 102, and the aforementioned swinging movements will cause the yoke 50 to snugly engage the shoe upper and cause the shoe upper to snugly conform to the shape of the last during the downward movement of the last.

After the shoe and last have completed their downward movement, the shoe upper will be yieldably clamped between the last and the conformer. At this time the wipers are moved horizontally to move, fold or wipe the upstanding lasting margin of the upper down against the insole and the last may be raised upwardly against the wipers during the latters horizontal movement to apply bedding pressure of the last against the wipers. The wipers and the shoe support may be moved independently or concurrently by the manipulation of the handle 46 to effect the lasting of the toe of the shoe as described in the aforesaid Patent No. 2,888,693.

In order to convert the above described toe lasting machine into a heel seat lasting machine, the method and apparatus forming the instant invention has been developed. In order to effect this conversion, the toe rest 16 and the upper collar 34 are removed from the piston rod 39 and a last support 121 comprising a block 122 is swivelly mounted on the piston rod 30 to bear against the carriage sleeve 36 (see FIGURE 6). The upper end of the piston rod 30 has a hole 124 which received a stud 126 (FIGURE 4) on the toe rest, and the toe rest is removed from the piston rod 30 by lifting the stud 12-6 upwardly of the hole 124. The post 23 may be rotated to lower the table 2% and with it the heel pin 18 to provide clearance for the block 122. The block 122 has a guideway 128 comprised by spaced parallel gibs 134! secured to its upper surface. A last supporting carriage 132 is slidably mounted in the guideway for horizontal movement toward and away from the frame 14. The carriage 132 has a ramp 134, at its rearward end from which a last pin 136 projects upwardly. The pin 136 is adapted to be received in the conventional last pin hole of a last 137 to thereby support the last as indicated in phantom in FIGURE 6. The block 122 has a lug 138 dependent therefrom having a threaded opening 139. The cylinder 140 of an air operated motor has a hollow threaded boss 141 that is threaded into the opening 139 to thereby mount the motor on the block 122. The motor has a threaded piston rod 142 that extends through the boss 141 and is threaded into a bracket 144 that is secured to and dependent from the carriage 132. The bracket 132 extends into an elongate opening 133 in the block 122. The block 122 has an arcuate recess 146 in its undersurface to accommodate the cylinder 14%. A pair of pins 148 extend upwardly of the block 122 (FIGURE 7) and a pair of pins 156 extend forwardly of the carriage 132. A pair of tension springs 152 extend between the pins 148 and 150 in a cut-out in the bottom of the carriage 132 to yieldably urge the carriage forwardly to a position where the bracket 144 engages the forward wall 154 of the opening 133. The admission of air into the cylinder 140 through the air lines 156 will move the carriage 132 rearwardly against the pressure of the springs 152, the rearward wall 158 of the opening 133 limiting the amount of rearward movement of the carriage 132.

The conversion of the toe lasting machine to a heel seat lasting machine is completed by removing the conformer yoke 51 and the support arms 98 from the machine. The support arms are removed by disengaging the pins 160 and 104 therefrom. In place of these members, a heel clamping unit 166 is inserted in the machine. The unit 161) comprises a U-shaped clamping pad 162 made of a flexible material such as leather and having a bight 164 and a pair of legs 166 extending forwardly of the bight. A lug 168 is connected to the bight 164, and a leaf spring 170 is secured by fasteners 172 to the exterior wall of each leg 162. One end of each leaf spring is coiled about a pin 1114 and the opposite end about a pin 160. The lug 168 is seated in the socket 611 of the head 56. The leaf springs 170 resiliently urge the legs 166 toward each other. The pad 162 is so mounted that its upper surface is substantially in alignment with the undersurfaces of the wipers. If desired, conventional heel seat wipers 174 may be substituted for the toe wipers 10.

In using the heel seat lasting machine, the stud 66 is adjusted to provide the desired tension in the spring 72, the nuts 91) are adjusted to provide the desired tension in the springs 102 and the knobs 86 are rotated to obtain the desired profile of the pad 162 in a manner similar to adjusting the toe conformer yoke 50 as described above.

Reference is now made to FIGURES 8 through 13 in connection with the description of the operation of the heel seat lasting machine. Initially the air in the line 156 is vented and the carriage 132 has been urged rightwardly (FIGURE 6) by the springs 152. A last 137 having an upper 176 assembled thereon and an insole 178 secured to its bottom is placed bottom side up on the last pin 136. At this time the last is away from the bight 164 of the pad 162 as indicated in FIGURE 8. If necessary, the handle 4-6 is rotated to raise or lower the piston rod 36 and the last support comprising the block 122 and carriage 132 to bring the last to a position where the upwardly facing surface of the insole 178 is substantially level with the upper surface of the pad 162 and the undersurface of the wipers 174 as shown in FIG- URE 9. At this time the bight 164 is yieldably urged inwardly of the pad 162 by the spring 72 and the legs 166 of the pad are yieldably urged inwardly by the springs 176 and 102. The knobs 86 may be rotated prior to or after placing the last on the last pin, in the manner set forth above, to set the pins 100 a distance apart from each other to give the desired profile to the pad 162. In making this adjustment, the screws 84 and sleeves 80 will tend to swing about the pivots 82. It is desirable that the profile of the pad 162 be such that its radius of 6 curvature is less than the radius of curvature of the heel of the last.

Air is now caused to enter the air line 15 6 to move the piston rod 142 and the carriage 132 leftwardly (FIG- URE 6) to force the last against the pad 162. Since the heel of the last has a greater width than the space between the pad legs 166, the pad legs are forced apart by the last. The bight 164 of the pad is moved leftwardly against the force of the spring 72, and the legs 166 of the pad are moved outwardly of the pad against the force of the springs 176. If the pressure by the last against the springs 176 is sufficiently great, the springs will move outwardly against the force exerted by the springs 162, and, depending on the degree of outward movement, cause some swinging of the springs 170 about the axes of pins 1% and 164, and some swinging of the sleeves 80 about pivots 82. The effect of all of these spring forces is to place the last Within the pad with the pad snugly conforming to the shape of the last and clamping the upper 176 against the last with the lasting margin 180 of the upper extending upwardly of the insole 17 8, the pad 162 and the wipers 174 as shown in FIGURES 10 and 11. During the left-ward movement of the carriage, the carriage 132 and block 122 may swing about the axis of the piston rod 34} to bring the line of symmetry of the heel of the last into alignment with the line of symmetry of the pad.

At this time, cement may be deposited in the angle between the insole 178 and the lasting margin 180 to adhesively bond the lasting margin to the insole during the subsequent wiping operation. 'The cement may be applied in accordance with the method disclosed in Patent No. 2,969,555 or in any other appropriate manner. It is also within the purview of the invention to provide precernented shoe uppers which will bond to the insole under the pressures created in the wiping operation, or to fasten the upper to the insole by staples, tacks or equivalent fastening means after the wiping operation.

The handle 46 is now swung forwardly to cause the motor 4-4 to move the wipers forwardly to the positions indicated in FIGURES .12 and 13. During this movement the wipers will wipe or fold the lasting margin 180' down against the insole 17 8 in the conventional manner. During this movement, the handle 46 may be rotated to cause the motor 32 to force the last upwardly against the wipers to create an overwviping pressure between the wiper bottoms and the lasting mangin and insole.

At the completion of the wiping operation, the last is lowered, the wipers are retracted, and air is vented from the line 156 to enable the springs 152 to return the carriage 132 to its initial position.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A heel seat lasting machine comprising: a frame; a head slidably mounted in the frame; spring means associated with the head for yieldably urging the head forwardly in the frame; a clamping pad having a bight and a pair of legs on opposite sides of the bight extending forwardly of the bight; means on the head supporting the bight of said pad; a leaf spring extending alongside of and exteriorly of each pad leg for urging the pad legs inwardly of the pad; means connecting each leaf spring to a pad leg; means connecting each leaf spring to said head; means for supporting a last having a shoe upper and insole thereon with the heel of the last facing the pad; means for effecting movement of the last supporting means toward and away from the pad in apredetermined plane; wiper means; and means for effecting forward movement of the wiper means in a plane substantially parallel to said predetermined plane to wipe the lasting margin of the upper against the insole while the upper is clamped between the last and the pad.

2. A heel seat lasting machine comprising: a frame; a head slidably mounted in the frame; spring means associated with the head for yieldably urging the head forwardly in the frame; a clamping pad having a bight and a pair of legs on opposite sides of the bight extending forwardly of the bight; means on the head supporting the bight of said pad; a pair of rods connected to the frame on opposite sides of the pad; a leaf spring extending alongside of and exteriorly of each pad leg for urging the pad legs inwardly of the pad; means connecting one end of each leaf spring to said head; means connecting the opposite ends of each leaf spring to one of said rods; means connecting a median portion of each leaf spring to its as sociated pad leg; means for supporting a last having a shoe upper and insole thereon with the heel of the last facing the pad; means for effecting movement of the last sup porting means toward and away from the pad in a predetermined plane; wiper means; and means for effecting movement of the Wiper means in a plane substantially parallel to said predetermined plane to wipe the lasting margin of the upper against the insole while the upper is clamped between the last and the pad.

3. A heel seat lasting machine comprising: a frame; a head slidably mounted in the frame; spring means associated with the head for yieldably urging the head forwardly in the frame; a clamping pad having a bight and a pair of legs on opposite sides of the bight extending for- Wardly of the bight; means on the head supporting the bight of said pad; a pair of shafts pivotally connected to said frame on opposite sides of said pad; a rod slidably mounted in each shaft; spring means associated with each rod for yieldably urging it toward the pad; a leaf spring extending alongside of and exteriorly of each pad leg for urging the pad legs inwardly of the pad; means connecting one end of each leaf spring to said head; means connecting the opposite end of each leaf spring to one of said rods; means connecting a median portion of each leaf spring to its associated pad leg; means for supporting a last having a shoe upper and insole thereon with the heel of the last facing the pad; means for effecting movement of the last toward and away from the pad; wiper means; and means effecting movement of the wiper means to wipe the lasting margin of the upper against the insole while the upper is clamped between the last and the pad.

4. A heel seat lasting machine comprising: heel clamping means; a vertically extending rod positioned below the heel clamping means; means for effecting vertical movement of said rod; a block swivelled on said rod; a carriage Vslidably mounted on said block for horizontal movement toward and away from said clamping means; means on the carriage for supporting a last having a shoe upper and insole thereon with the heel of the last facing the heel clamping means; motor means connected to the carriage for effecting movement of the carriage toward the heel clamping means; spring means connected to the carriage for effecting movement of the carriage away from the heel clamping means; wiping means positioned above the heel clamping means; and means for effecting forward movement of the Wiping means to Wipe the lasting margin of the upper against the insole while the lasting margin is clamped bet-ween the heel clamping means and the last.

5. In a lasting machine, heel clamping means comprising: a frame; a head slidably mounted in the frame; spring means associated with the head for yieldably urging the head forwardly in the frame; a clamping pad having a bight and a pair of legs on opposite sides of the bight extending forwardly of the bight; means on the head supporting the bight of said pad; a leaf spring extending alongside of and exteriorly of each pad leg for urging the pad legs inwardly of the pad; means for connecting each leaf spring to a pad leg; and means connecting each leaf spring to said head.

6. In a lasting machine, heel clam-ping means comprising: a frame; a head slidably mounted in the frame; spring means associated with the head for yieldably urging the to head forwardly in the frame; a clamping pad having a bight and a pair of legs on opposite sides of the bight extending forwardly of the bight; means on the head supporting the bight of said pad; a pair of rods connected to the rame on opposite sides of the pad; a leaf spring extending alongside of and exteriorly of each pad leg for urging the pad legs inwardly of the pad; means connecting one end of each leaf spring to said head; means connecting the opposite ends of each leaf spring to one of said rods; and means connecting a median portion of each leaf spring to its associated pad leg.

7. In a lasting machine, heel clamping means comprising: a frame; a head slidably mounted in the frame; spring means associated with the head for yieldably urging the head forwardly in the frame; a clamping pad having a bight and a pair of legs on opposite sides of the bight extending forwardly of the bight; means on the head supporting the bight of said pad; a pair of shafts pivotally connected to said frame on opposite sides of said pad; a rod slidably mounted in each shaft; spring means associated with each rod for yieldably urging it toward the pad; a leaf spring extending alongside of and exteriorly of each pad leg for urging the pad legs inwardly of the pad; means connecting one end of each leaf spring to one of said rods; and means connecting a median portion of each leaf spring to its associated pad leg.

8. In a lasting machine; claimping means; a ertically extending rod positioned below the clamping means; means for effecting vertical movement of said rod; a block swivelled on said rod; a carriage slidably mounted on said block for movement toward and away from said clamping means; means on the carriage for supporting a last with an end of the last facing the clamping means; motor means connected to the carriage for effecting movement of the carriage toward the clamping means; and spring means connected to the carriage for effecting movement of the carriage away from the clamping means.

9. A heel seat lasting machine comprising: a frame; a clamping pad having a bight and a pair of legs on opposite sides of the bight extending forwardly of the bight; bracket means rigid with the frame; spring means interposed between the bracket means and the bight for yieldably urging the bight inwardly of the pad; a Support rigid with the frame positioned on each side of the frame, each support being located exteriorly of a pad leg; spring means interposed between each support and its associated pad leg for yieldably urging the pad llegs inwardly of the pad; means for supporting a last having a shoe upper and insole thereon with the heel of the last facing the clamping pad; means for effecting movement of the last supporting means toward and away from the clamping pad in a predetermined plane; wiping means; and means for efliecting movement of the wiping means in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of movement of the last supporting means to wipe the lasting margin of the upper against the insole while the upper is clamped between the last and clamping pad.

10. In a lasting machine: clamping means; a vertically extending rod positioned below the clamping means; a block swivelled on said rod for swinging movement in a horizontal plane; a carriage mounted on the block for rearward horizontal movement toward and forward horizontal movement away from said clamping means; means on the carriage for supporting a last with an end of the last facing the clamping means; means for effecting the said movements of the carriage; wiper means mounted above the clamping means for forward horizontal movement toward the last and rearward horizontal movement away from the last; and means for effecting the said movements of the wiper means.

11. The machine according to claim 10 wherein the means for effecting the movements of the carriage comprises: a motor secured to the block and operatively connected to the carriage.

12. The machine according to claim '10 further comprising: means for eifecting vertical movement of the rod.

13. A method of making a heel seat lasting machine comprising: providing a toe lasting machine having a rod, a toe rest for supporting a last having a shoe upper and insole thereon mounted on said rod, means for effecting vertical movement of said rod, a shoe conformer comprising a substantially U-shaped yoke for snugly conforming the upper to the shape of the last during relative heightwise movement between the conform-er and the last, wiping means, and means for effecting horizontal movement of the wiping means across the insole to wipe the lasting margin of the upper against the insole; removing the shoe conformer from the toe lasting machine and inserting in its place a substantially U-shaped heel clamping pad; and removing the toe rest from the rod and placing on the rod a last support having means thereon for supporting the last so that the heel of the last faces the pad and having means for moving the last horizontally toward and away from the pad.

14. A method of making a heel seat lasting machine comprising: providing a toe lasting machine having a rod, a toe [rest for supporting a last having a shoe upper and insole thereon mounted on said rod, means for effecting vertical movement of said rod, a shoe conformer comprising a yoke having a bight and a pair of legs extending forwardly of the bight on opposite sides of the bight for snugly conforming the upper to the shape of the last during relative heightwise movement between the yoke and the last, spring means for yieldably urging the bight and the legs of the yoke inwardly of the yoke, wiping means, and means for effecting horizontal movement of the wiping means across the insole to wipe the lasting margin of the upper against the insole; removing the yoke from the toe lasting machine and so mounting in its place a substantially U-shaped heel clamping pad having a bight and a pair of legs extending forwardly of the bight on opposite sides of the bight that the aforesaid spring means yieldably urge the bight and legs of the pad inwardly of the pad; and removing the toe rest from the rod and mounting in its place a last support for supporting a last having a shoe upper and insole thereon so that the heel of the last is positioned within the pad.

15. A method of making a heel seat lasting machine comprising: providing a toe lasting machine having a rod, a toe rest for supporting a last having a shoe upper and insole thereon mounted on said rod, means for effecting vertical movement of said rod, a shoe conformer comprising a yoke having a bight and a pair of legs extending forwardly of the bight on opposite sides of the bight for snugly conforming the upper to the shape of the last during relative heightwise movement between the yoke and last, wiping means, and means for effecting horizontal movement of the wiping means across the insole to wipe the lasting margin of the upper against the insole; removing the yoke from the toe lasting machine and inserting in its place a heel clamping pad having a bight and a pair of legs extending forwardly of the bight on opposite sides of the bight; and removing the toe rest from the rod and mounting in its place a block having a last supporting carriage slidably mounted thereon for movement toward and away from the pad.

16. A method of making a heel seat lasting machine comprising: providing a toe lasting machine having a frame, a rod, a toe rest for supporting a last having a shoe upper and insole thereon mounted on said rod, means for effecting vertical movement of said rod, a shoe conformer comprising a yoke having a bight and a pair of legs extending forwardly of the bight on opposite sides of the bight for snugly conforming the upper to the shape of the last during relative heightwise movement between the yoke and the last, a head mounted in the frame, means on the head for supporting the bight of said yoke, a support arm connected to said head on each side of said yoke with said support arms extending alongside the yoke legs exteriorly thereof, means connecting each support arm to its associated yoke leg, means connecting the ends of the support arms remote from the head to the frame, wiping means, and means for effecting horizontal movement of the wiping means across the insole to wipe the lasting margin of the upper against the insole; disconnecting the support arms from the head and frame and removing the support arms and yoke from the toe lasting machine; providing a heel clamping pad having a bight and a pair of legs extending forwardly of the bight on opposite sides of the bight; supporting the bight of the pad on the head; connecting the legs of the pad to the frame; and removing the toe rest from the rod and mounting in its place a block having a last supporting carriage slidably mounted thereon for horizontal movement toward and away from the pad.

17. A method of making a heel seat lasting machine comprising: providing a toe lasting machine having a frame, a rod, a toe rest for supporting a last having a shoe upper and insole thereon supported on said rod, means for effecting vertical movement of said rod, a shoe conformer comprising a yoke having a bight and a pair of legs extending forwardly of the bight on opposite sides of the bight for snugly conforming the upper to the shape of the last during relative heightwise movement between the yoke and the last, a head slidably mounted in said frame for horizontal movement toward and away from the toe rest, spring means associated with the head for yieldably urging it toward the toe rest, support means on said head for supporting the bight of said yoke, a rear pin on said head on each side of said bight, a front pin located exteriorly of each yoke leg and forwardly of the head pins, spring means mounted on the frame and connected to each of said front pins for yieldably urging the front pins toward each other, a support arm extending alongside of and exteriorly of each yoke leg with the rear end of each support arm pivoted on a rear pin and the forward end of each support arm pivoted on a front pin, means connecting each support arm to a yoke leg, wiping means, and means for effecting horizontal movement of said wiping means across the insole to wipe the lasting margin of the upper against the insole; dismounting the support arms from the rear pins and front pins and removing the support arms and yoke from the toe lasting machine; providing a heel clamping pad having a bight, a pair of legs extending forwardly of the bight on opposite sides of the bight, and a leaf spring connected to each leg extending alongside of its associated leg and exteriorly thereof; supporting the bight of said pad on the support means of said head; connecting one end of each leaf spring to a rear pin; connecting the other end of each leaf spring to a front pin; and removing the toe rest from the rod and mounting in its place a block having a last supporting carriage slidably mounted thereon for horizontal movement toward and away from the pad.

18. A method of making a heel seat lasting machine comprising: providing a toe lasting machine having a frame, a first rod, a toe rest for supporting a last having a shoe upper and insole thereon mounted on said first rod, means for effecting vertical movement of said first rod, a shoe conformer comprising a yoke having a bight and a pair of legs extending forwardly of the bight on opposite sides of the bight for snugly conforming the upper to the shape of the last during relative heightwise movement between the yoke and the last, a head slidably mounted in said frame for horizontal movement toward and away from the toe rest, spring means associated with the head for yieldably urging it toward the toe rest, support means on said head for supporting the bight of said yoke, a head pin on said head on each side of said bight, a shaft pivotally connected to said frame on each side of said yoke, a second rod slidably mounted in each shaft, spring means associated with each of said second rods for yieldably urging the second rods toward each other, a rod pin on the end of each second rod that is closest to the other second rod, a support arm extending alongside of and exteriorly of each yoke leg, means connecting each support arm to a yoke leg with one end of each support arm pivotally mounted on a head pin and the other end of each support arm pivotally mounted on a rod pin, wiping means, and means for effecting horizontal movement of said wiping means across the insole to wipe the lasting margin of the upper against the insole; dismounting the support arms from the head pins and rod pins and removing the support arms and yoke from the toe lasting machine; providing a heel clamping pad having a bight, a pair of legs extending forwardly of the bight on opposite sides of the bight, and a leaf spring connected to each leg extending alongside of its associated leg exteriorly thereof; supporting the bight of said pad on the support means of said ead; connecting one end of each leaf spring to a head pin; connecting the other end of each leaf spring to a rod pin; and removing the toe rest from the first rod and mounting in its place a block having a last supporting carriage slidably mounted thereon for horizontal movement toward and away from the pad.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 378,446 Hatch Feb. 28, 1888 1,694,449 Ricks et a1. Dec. 11, 1928 1,773,075 Christensen et a1. Aug. 12, 1930 

1. A HEEL SEAT LASTING MACHINE COMPRISING: A FRAME; A HEAD SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN THE FRAME; SPRING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH THE HEAD FOR YIELDABLY URGING THE HEAD FORWARDLY IN THE FRAME; A CLAMPING PAD HAVING A BIGHT AND A PAIR OF LEGS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE BIGHT EXTENDING FORWARDLY OF THE BIGHT; MEANS ON THE HEAD SUPPORTING THE BIGHT OF SAID PAD; A LEAF SPRING EXTENDING ALONGSIDE OF AND EXTERIORLY OF EACH PAD LEG FOR URGING THE PAD LEGS INWARDLY OF THE PAD; MEANS CONNECTING EACH LEAF SPRING TO A PAD LEG; MEANS CONNECTING EACH LEAF SPRING TO SAID HEAD; MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A LAST HAVING A SHOE UPPER AND INSOLE THEREON WITH THE HEEL OF THE LAST FACING THE PAD; MEANS FOR EFFECTING MOVEMENT OF THE LAST SUPPORTING MEANS TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE PAD IN A PREDETERMINED PLANE; WIPER MEANS; AND MEANS FOR EFFECTING FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE WIPER MEANS IN A PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID PREDETERMINED PLANE TO WIPE THE LASTING MARGIN OF THE UPPER AGAINST THE INSOLE WHILE THE UPPER IS CLAMPED BETWEEN THE LAST AND THE PAD.
 13. A METHOD OF MAKING A HEEL SEAT LASTING MACHINE COMPRISING: PROVIDING A TOE LASTING MACHINE HAVING A ROD, A TOE REST FOR SUPPORTING A LAST HAVING A SHOE UPPER AND INSOLE THEREON MOUNTED ON SAID ROD, MEANS FOR EFFECTING VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF SAID ROD, A SHOE CONFORMER COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED YOKE FOR SNUGLY CONFORMING THE UPPER TO THE SHAPE OF THE LAST DURING RELATIVE HEIGHTWISE MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE CONFORMER AND THE LAST, WIPING MEANS, AND MEANS FOR EFFECTING HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT OF THE WIPING MEANS ACROSS THE INSOLE TO WIPE THE LASTING MARGIN OF THE UPPER AGAINST THE INSOLE; REMOVING THE SHOE CONFORMER FROM THE TOE LASTING MACHINE AND INSERTING IN ITS PLACE A SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED HEEL CLAMPING PAD; AND REMOVING THE TOE REST FROM THE ROD AND PLACING ON THE ROD A LAST SUPPORT HAVING MEANS THEREON FOR SUPPORTING THE LAST SO THAT THE HEEL OF THE LAST FACES THE PAD AND HAVING MEANS FOR MOVING THE LAST HORIZONTALLY TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE PAD. 